Validity

Question 1

What is the basic definition of validity ?

Answer 1

A balance between control and realism

Question 2

What is internal validity ?

Answer 2

• Accuracy within the study (How much control their is)
• The way that the IV affects the DV
• Internal validity is affected by CV’s, Ev’s and participant variables
• Can be improved by: Lab experiments, random allocation and double-blind procedures

Question 3

What is external validity ?

Answer 3

• factors outside of the research
• Accuracy of reflecting real behaviour
• Population validity = groups
• Ecological validity = settings
• Can be affected by: sample used, artificial task, realism of the task

Question 4

What are the two types of external validity ?

Answer 4

• population validity
• ecological validity

Question 5

What is temporal validity ?

Answer 5

• Whether theory, concepts, research finings remain accurate over time
  Examples =
• Zimbardo - redone by the BBC and different findings were made
• Asch - McCarthyism - very conformist society at the time

Question 6

How does face validity assess validity ?

Answer 6

• simplest technique to test for validity
• An independent expert assess whether the research will measure what it has set out to assess
• Cheap and easy

Question 7

What is concurrent validity ?

Answer 7

• comparing a new procedure with similar procedure that has been done before where validity has already been established
• If the scores correlate as a strong positive correlation (0.8+) then the test is valid
• More objective than face validity as it comes with numerical data

Question 8

What is the difference between validity and reliability ?

Answer 8

Reliability = consistency of a finding
Validity = accuracy of the method

Question 9

How can you improve experiments so they have better validity ?

Answer 9

• using a control group (helps asses whether the changes to the dependent variable were due to the independent variable)
• standardising procedures (minimises participant reactivity and investigator effects)
• Use of single-blind and double-blind procedures

Question 10

How can you improve questionnaires so they have better validity ?

Answer 10

• lie scales (assess consistency of response and controls social desirability bias)
• Assuring respondents that their information remains anonymous

Question 11

How can you improve observations so they have better validity ?

Answer 11

• covert observations (behaviour likely to be natural and authentic)
• Behavioural categories (need to be objective and specific)

Question 12

How can you improve qualitative research so they have better validity ?

Answer 12

• Making sure that researchers interpretation is the same as the participants (done through finding direct quotations form the interview)
• Triangulation - the use of a number of different sources as evidence (e.g. data through interviews with family and friends, personal diaries, observations